


Orange Snow; Just a New Year‘s Day

by Kit_kat1313



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Nostalgia, Post-Time Skip, Winter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:08:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28742982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kit_kat1313/pseuds/Kit_kat1313
Summary: Everything was going to be the same.He looked around the familiar room. The door to the desk, to the bookshelf, to Tsukki to…- and he saw Yacchan and his stomach dropped.Tsukki’s phone buzzed.“Kageyama said he’s there, just jogging back and forth.Yamaguchi realized he was looking solemn and quickly gave a slight chuckle.
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Yachi Hitoka/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Kudos: 3





	1. Just a New Year’s Day

**Author's Note:**

> Hello readers, this is part of a short series as it was a bit long. Happy belated New Year’s ^

There were bits of white everywhere; on the ground, on the trees, bushes, and even the power pole wires. But snow is not only white, there were pinks and blues, and purples and oranges. The birds know…

Yamaguchi stood at the edge of the road, waiting to cross. He took a deep breath of cold air and breathed out. The white wisp expanded and disappeared. He placed his hands in his pockets and checked. There were no cars. There hasn’t been for a while. 

It had to be added, but from this side of the road, with the red sign and Yamaguchi in a black coat, the scene looked rather artistic.

He finally crossed and there was no relief he thought there would. The other side was the same. If he turned around, it would seem as if he had never crossed.

~ . ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~

Yachi’s bag was bouncing up and down as she sped down the sidewalk. She had left in a rush and had not-so respectively shoved her laptop into her bag.  
At this time of the year, giving work when people are meeting up with family and friends..

It was high noon and Yachi was freezing and numbing from all that exhilarating running.  
She reached her destination and knocked on the door.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Tsukishima yawned as he answered the door and an exacerbated Yachi greeted him.

“Wait, it’s today?”

“Yeah,” she replied as she checked her watch. “Oh yeah. Happy New Year.”

She quickly bowed.

“Uhh..Happy New Year.”

Yachi took off her shoes and finally sat down next to the kotatsu* and covered her lap with the warm blanket.  
Tsukishima sat opposite the low table. 

It was silent for a bit as Yachi was relevating in the warmth.

“So..,” began Tsukishima. “Aren’t you supposed to give me something?” His brows furrowed as to not laugh.

“Eeeeh? I am?”

“It’s only proper.”

Yachi took out her laptop and placed it on the table.

“This is all I brought..”

Tsukki was about to lose it but he quickly swallowed that and calmly said,  
“It’s fine, I’ll check the fridge.”

Yachi melted her head down on the heavenly kotatsu.

“I thought you really wanted something…”

“Can you check if Yamaguchi is almost here?”

“Yeah sure.”

They heard the ringing of a phone outside the door. Yacchan opened the door and smiled.

“Yama-kun!”

“Afternoon. Oh. Happy New Year.” He bowed.

“Come, come, sit,” Yacchan gestured to the kotatsu.

“Oi, who’s house is this,” asked Tsukki as he brought a platter of drinks to the table.

Yamaguchi hanged his coat and sat down.

“Oh! I know this smell-”

“Ginger,” replied Tsukki.

“Tsukkiii..”

“What?” He took a sip.

“It’s New Year’s..”

“Yeah,” chirped in Yachi. “It is.”

“I’m old..” Yamaguchi rested his cheek on the table.

“No you’re not,” the two said almost simultaneously. Except one was enthusiastic while the latter sounded matter of factly.

“Thanks..”

“But,” Yamaguchi perked up. “Tsukki’s ginger ale, I heard, can-”

“No.” Tsukishima cut him off before he could answer.

“It’s very good for the skin,” added Yachi as she took a large sip.

The room was still the same. The bookshelf with the dinosaurs, the desk, the table. It was not noticed though; that changed air since years before, like an old static radio. It was playing on repeat. But not because it was begging to be heard, but merely playing.

They ventured further than Tsukishima’s room, down the white hallway, to the kitchen.  
It had been quiet for a while until Yachi and Yamaguchi barged in with the purpose of making a New Year feast.

His brother had moved out recently, and Tsukishima’s mother was often out, shopping or engaging with friends. She is enjoying herself as she now had two grown children supporting her idle amusement.

The fridge opened with a familiar chill gust of air.

“Tsukishima-kun,” called Yachi. “Where’s the apron?”

Yamaguchi found them before he could answer.

“Yama-kun,” Yachi said as they were cutting carrots. “Do you come here often?”

Yamaguchi thought for a while; looking at the ceiling.

“..I came less than before. But we do go to the restaurant more often.”

“It’s nice having a best friend right?”

Yacchan didn’t show signs of envy, but she did cut the carrots a bit more intensely.

Yamaguchi didn’t know how to answer that. What is a best friend? That is a silly thought, but he never really thought about it. Tsukki was a very good friend. He had hung out with him a lot, since they were small. But isn’t a best friend someone you had to choose between all your friends? That was ridiculous. Can you have more than a single best friend? Oh!

“Yacchan!”

“Yes!”

“How about..we all are best friends?”

“Eeeeeehh?”

Yama-kun looked so eager to make that statement that Yachi couldn’t help but smile.

“Who’s we?”

Aaaaaaah.. His mind flashed back and forth to everyone at the club, to Hinata and test studies, and everything whirled around until he came back with not much of an answer.

“Everyone..uh..” He stuttered as the carrots turned into small crumbs.

Yachi sighed.  
“I don’t think we should find a clear definition for those sorts of things.”

They plopped the carrots in a pan of boiling water, along with other things.

“It’s just,” continued Yachi. “I found it hard to understand people..fully...like everyone was so weird.”

Weird? ..Hinata and Kageyama were weird.. But..

He thought a while again.

“Yacchan, you were weird too.”

“..Agh, tell me about it.”

“When you first joined..you were really jittery and all over the place. But then sometimes, it seemed like you forgot that when you helped us..and motivated us.”

She took out the bowls and the rice, looking at her reflection in the ceramic surface while doing so.

“Now it feels like..Yama-kun, you’re just playing a game of complimenting me.

Yamaguchi fumbled around with the apron string.

“I’ll play too,” said Yachi.

“Oh no..,” Yamaguchi thought.

“So..,” Yachi sat next to the kitchen table. “When you were captain…”  
She took a deep breath; hands in little fists.

“You were so cool!”

Ah. Yamaguchi had been struck.

Tsukishima came before any damage could occur.

They all sat down and thanked the meal and ate.

The sun was lowering and it was not so blinding outside as it had been at high noon. The snow was warming up and the door was slid open and the three saw the white plains.  
The basketball court was covered with heaps of snow.

Yachi felt an urge to jump and land face flat on the snow. She held it in and stepped painstakingly down. Her boot plopped a good inches into the white mush.  
She heard a sudden plop and froze, then fell head down as she had imagined.

“Ueeh.” Yamaguchi lifted his head, patting the snow off his face. “Tsukki, remember we used to snowfight, right here?”

“Yeah,” he sat down on the porch.

“Come on come on.” He grabbed Tsukki’s arm and dragged him on the snow.

“You might want to check Yachi over there,” Tsukki gestured to the fallen heap of tan coats and boots.

“Yacchan?”

The snow made the supposed-to-be panicked run much slower.  
Tsukki proceeded to the scene on his knees.

Yama-kun shook her shoulders and her red face slowly raised itself.

“Am I...dead?”

“Tsukki, should I slap her?”

“Sure.”

After a few soft slaps and with the two pulling her up, Yachi got up to her feet and shouted triumphantly.  
This pumped up Yamaguchi as well and he threw a snowball at Tsukki.

He wiped it off his face.

“Stop.”

Yachi looked on; frozen

But seeing Tsukki’s face, he knew and laughed.

“I haven’t built a fort yet.”

They played until all three’s faces were burnt with cold and they proceeded to sit down on the porch.  
A visitor appeared from the distance, carrying grocery bags. He waved and ran forward, only to fall down, dropping the supposed groceries.

Tsukki jogged up to him and helped his brother up.

“I knew you’d be back here,” Akiteru said, laughing once they were all inside.

Yachi poked the plastic bags filled with snacks.

“Akiteru-san,” began Yamaguchi. “What are these for?”

“Well I heard you were coming over...so I bought snacks for the children.”

“Children, what children?” Thought Yachi frantically.

“We’re not children anymore,” Tsukki sighed.

His brother did an exaggerated sniff.

“You all are to me.”

Tsukishima sighed again, audibly this time.

Akiteru left as he came. He was busy, even on New Year’s Day.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The sound of chips cracking and an occasional sniffle or yawn, filled the room.  
The three were all sprawled around the table, watching T.V occasionally, and occasionally being silent.

Sometime during this, Yamaguchi’s phone vibrated. He checked it and raised his eyebrows, along with his eyes.

“Kageyama said he can go to the shrine with us cause’ he’s jogging there on the way.”

“Ooh, finally Kageyama can meet up with us.”

“He’s busy..getting ready to face off Hinata-” Tsukki took a chip.

“Oooh, the fated face-off,” replied Yama-kun.

“Heh..can’t wait to see that,” Yachi said.

“I can’t believe it’s been 2 years.. Hinata is almost coming back.” Yamaguchi looked up at the ceiling.

Tsukki checked his phone. Silence.

“Those two..,” began Yachi. “They’re just so..you know, hard-working..and special. I mean- We seem so normal compared to them..going to university like mostly everyone.”

A small sprite-like bug flew in Yamaguchi’s peripheral view.

“It’s not a bad thing.” Tsukki rested his chin on his hands; eyeing the little sprite on the table.

“Yeah..” Someone blew the bug. “...Oh Tsukki you’re still pursuing volley. That’s so great..that you can follow your goals.”

“Sure.. It’s just a side thing.”

Yachi was staring, mouth open at the small blank T.V in front of her. Something popped in her mind and she let out an alarming gasp.

“Shoot!”

“What?”

Yacchan quickly secured the laptop in her bag and was instantly wired on the task at hand.

Oh work..

Yamaguchi stretched out his arms in front of him and idly played around with his fingers.  
It was the last year of university for all of them. Though they all had separate schools, sometimes they would be united in the restaurant or a cafe under the goal of doing work.

Yamaguchi got up and unconsciously picked up a figurine of a Triceratops.  
He noticed a red squishy-thing on the corner of the shelf.

PFFFFTTTTttt  
Clutching his dark sweater to keep from laughing furiously, Yamaguchi dangled a strawberry-plush keychain in front of Tsukki.

He then broke into fits of laughter and melted down next to Tsukki.

“What?” Asked Tsukishima, who was being pushed by the weight of his friend’s elbow.

“Na..Nothing..But you know..this key chain.. We got it for buying 4-no 5 coffees right?”

“Huh? I remember it was you who did that. They gave it to you.”

“Yeah and-” he gave a short laugh. “I-I put it on the shelf..there. Cause’ that day..-”

Yamaguchi’s nose was turning into a strawberry; red and speckled.

“-I saw your face.. I knew you wanted it..but you just didn’t say it..”

Yachi was laughing behind her laptop. But at the moment, it sounded like she was having a coughing fit.

Tsukishima looked down at the strawberry in his hand and smiled; laughing inside at this absurdity.

“You know you could have just kept it.”  
He placed it next to his dinosaur collection. It stood out among the dull greens and navys.

Yamaguchi beamed and took a picture.

“Hey,” Yacchan said. “Yama-kun, send me the picture.

“Yeah sure.”

Yamaguchi's stomach has now calmed and he felt like everything that has happened was already in a fleeting state. It had been so recent.  
The strawberry talk, cooking with Yacchan, studying in the cafes. It felt odd and isolating; believing he was the only one that felt this way. But everything was the same. Hinata was coming back.

Everything was going to be the same. 

He looked around the familiar room. The door to the desk, to the bookshelf, to Tsukki to…- and he saw Yacchan and his stomach dropped.

Tsukki’s phone buzzed.

“Kageyama said he’s there, just jogging back and forth.

Yamaguchi realized he was looking solemn and quickly gave a slight chuckle.


	2. Orange Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was almost packed as it was New Years and that chaotic energy infected the three as they ate and talked and laughed.  
> This was added on by the random New Year’s greeting from Hinata.
> 
> At the sight of his face, they bursted out laughing in a hysterical and beat-red sort of way.
> 
> “You’re not supposed to make it with sand!”
> 
> “Look at those poses!”
> 
> “Con..stipation..,” Tsukishima said, covering his mouth to keep from exploding with laughter.
> 
> ~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

They departed for the shrine.

There was snow heaped next to houses, collected from nights before. The air was crisp and pale, yet the sky was clear; bright, almost blue.  
The sun was continuously setting, but for now it was still fairly daylike.

Arriving, they saw Kageyama.  
He had a black jacket and as he said; jogging back and forth, until he saw them.

“You’re late,” he said.

“..He’s the same as always,” thought Yachi.

“You’ve been going back and forth the whole time and never actually gone up to the shrine,” Tsukishima taunted. “So who’s really late?”

“You wanna race up to the shrine?”

“No.”

Yachi was watching this bickering with much interest that she’d forgotten they didn’t greet each other with the customed New Year’s greeting.

“..Oh! Happy New Year.” She bowed, and Yamaguchi followed suit.

Tsukishima reluctantly did the same.

“Happy New Year,” Kageyama said; bowing.

They finally went up to the shrine and rang the bell.

“Kageyama,” asked Yamaguchi. “What’d you get?”

“Curse.”

“Oh my.”

“I got ‘truth and sincerity will lead to a bright future’.”

Yachi looked at the back of her paper to see if there was anything else.

“I got ‘fortune.’”

“Wow, that’s great.. Tsukki, you should get one.”

“Nah.”

“Oh come on.” Yamaguchi pushed Tsukki to the vendor. “I’m sure you’ll get something great.”

'Please use your time wisely.'

Kageyama held back his laughter and smirked.

“I don’t really know what this means-”

Yachi placed her hand on her chin; thinking.

“And I don’t really care,” Tsukishima finished.

“It could be both positive and negative,” commented Yamaguchi.

“Oh well..”

They walked down the stairway; light illuminating, shadows dancing.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

“Bye Kageyama, see you later.”

He nodded and ran down the sidewalk; disappearing.

The sky was orange and some colored cotton clouds were gathering to the far side, probably towards the ocean.  
Bits of indigo were splattered, indicating the night to come.

Yamaguchi looked on towards the sidewalk then dropped his sight to his hands, to which he saw were clenching one another.

“Guys,” he began. 

“Let’s go to the restaurant.”

Why were they looking at him like that?

“What are you doing with your hands? Tsukki asked

His hands?

Yamaguchi noticed he was holding them up in the air.

“You’re waving them.”  
Yacchan smiled that amused smile of hers.

“Heh, yeah I’m just waving them.”

The sky was darkening. Swarms of blues and purples filled the once orange space. If one looked up, they would’ve seen a single star already there.  
The street lights had lit up, checkering the road with orange light.

As they walked, Yacchan asked,  
“Were you nervous?”

“Nervous.. No-”

“With Kageyama? Of course not,” broke in Tsukki.

Yamaguchi chuckled.

“Yeah…”

“So what is it?”

Yacchan looked almost concerned and that frightened him.

“I’m not sure right now… I’ll tell you guys later.”

When they arrived, Tsukki pointed to a calico cat outside the door, sitting ever so patiently for scraps.  
Yachi fawned over it and promised to give it some food while Yama-kun snapped a quick picture then joined Yachi in stroking its chin.

Tsukishima stood at the side, trying not to tell them to not do this in front of a restaurant.

The air was as always; the smell of barbecue, smoke, and beer.

It was almost packed as it was New Years and that chaotic energy infected the three as they ate and talked and laughed.  
This was added on by the random New Year’s greeting from Hinata.

At the sight of his face, they bursted out laughing in a hysterical and beat-red sort of way.

“You’re not supposed to make it with sand!”

“Look at those poses!”

“Con..stipation..,” Tsukishima said, covering his mouth to keep from exploding with laughter.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

By the time they left, it was already completely dark out. The air was barely below freezing and the cat had gone.

“Thanks for always dropping me to the bus-stop.” Yacchan smiled, a hand holding the bag strap.

“No problem..” Yamaguchi checked around and the raid seemed so dark and empty.  
“...You want us to wait a bit?”

“Eeeh?” Yachi was already back turned, steps away from the bench.

She thought a bit.

“..My bus won’t be coming for a while..and it’s uh awfully cold.. I don’t think Tsukki-kun over there will like it.

“What do you think.. Tsukki-kun?” Yama-kun smirked.

Tsukishima sighed; white breath cloud flowing out.

“I’ll make an exception..on New Year’s Day.”

The three sat on the bench, listlessly looking at the dull building in front of them.  
It was quiet and even the wind was faint. All they could hear was the bitter cold of the night.

Yachi broke the silence.

“This is..,” she began. “..Awkward?

“It feels strange..,” added Yamaguchi.

Tsukki said nothing and was trying to keep warm; his chin in his coat.

“Did we ever do this before?”

“Sit on a bench?”  
He shifted his shoes. A crunch of snow.

He thought back. They did sit on a bench before, but was it daytime?.. Nighttime..? A weekday? ..A weekend? Was it in the Winter..? 

There was the feeling of a backpack on his shoulder… Someone spilled something. Someone pointed at a red car that passed by. Birds on the wire…

Yacchan muttered something. Her eyes were shutting and opening, then shutting until they didn’t open. Her breath slowed. 

She was asleep, so was Tsukki on the left.

Yamaguchi thought he couldn’t possibly sleep with so many thoughts.

Leaning against Tsukki, he closed his eyes, then felt a heavy thud on his shoulder. He opened them again and saw Yacchan’s head against his shoulder. They were packed like sardines. But it was warm. The air didn’t interfere on this bubble of heavy coats and living breaths.

He thought about the warmth. It was right here. Oh. 

He fell asleep before he realized.

Upon opening them again, something fluttered in front of his eyes. It was glistening and moved like a feather,

It was snowing.  
Gently and unorganized, they fell from seemingly nowhere.

Yamaguchi thought that even if this happened before, it was nothing like this. He could feel the warmth and see the whit flakes that glistened in the streetlight.  
The radio could keep playing forever and he wouldn’t mind.

This side of the road had such warm sounds.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

“Bye guys.” Yacchan waved her hands above her head.

“Bye,” Tsukki yawned.

“See you later..as always.”

The two walked home, snow still gently falling.

Yamaguchi’s phone beeped in his pocket.

“What is it?”

“It’s from Hinata.”

It read:  
“Happy New Year’s!!Waaaah i’m almost coming back Say hi to Tsukishima-don.// You know when i hit the ball and stuff, I’m always remembering you guys..yeah this sounds weird :(( Can’t wait to see you guys soon^^.”

Yamaguchi smiled to himself, then beamed at Tsukki.

“Hinata said hi to Tsukishima-don.”

Tsukki sighed.  
“You know what, tell him thanks.”

Yamaguchi laughed.

“How bout’ we tell him Happy New Year.”

He pressed the recording button with his finger, counting down:  
One  
Two  
Three

“Happy New Year!!-”

“-Elebleblebleh- oops.”

And there was laughter.


End file.
